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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28253949">Ylva</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/larxenethefirefly/pseuds/larxenethefirefly'>larxenethefirefly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>a family of ravens [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Assassin's Creed - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Eivor/Tarben- implied, Female Eivor (Assassin's Creed), Found Family, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, stoneman mystery, this mystery gave me Feelings, unbeta'd we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:35:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,328</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28253949</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/larxenethefirefly/pseuds/larxenethefirefly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A young girl asks Eivor for help. She always has been weak when it came to children.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>a family of ravens [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ylva</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I actually cried during this mystery, and then started writing this a few days later after the encouragement of pixial_flash. Eivor would be such a good mom, y'all.</p><p>Also, fun fact: the game always shows kids with blue ally dots. It's probably game mechanics to ensure they don't get hit with friendly fire, but I prefer the idea that Eivor really likes kids, and that they respect these little adults more than actual adults.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ash was still thick on her tongue from Ulkerthorpe Fort when she stumbled across the farm.</p><p>She had spent the past two days helping the people at the fort, and had slept maybe five hours during that time- exhaustion prevented her from figuring out the situation immediately. Vili had left hours ago, and she was meant to join him and her clan at Hemthorpe, but she had been planning on making camp and sleeping before continuing on. She would have taken the horse Vili lent her, but she had let the villagers borrow it for rebuilding efforts with Trygve’s permission. All that was left was finding the abandoned house Synin had scouted and she could finally sleep.</p><p>So when she heard a child’s upset pleading, it took a moment for her to process. </p><p>Investigating revealed a young girl no older than eight attempting to stack rocks and fussing whenever they fall. She’s tanned from the sun and wiry, but there’s still remnants of baby fat lingering in her face. “You have to stay!” she’s demanding at her current attempt even as it wobbles and falls once more. She huffed, then tried again. “This one first, then this one- no!” she wailed. “Stay still!”</p><p>Eivor considered walking away for all of half a second before her willpower crumbled beneath the sight of a child’s distress. </p><p>As soon as Eivor approached, the girl looked up at her, beseeching. Her eyes were a startling green. “Can you help me? I need to build a stone-man to protect me from the pict-people. I keep trying, but I just can’t do it right.”</p><p>Crumbling willpower, indeed. This child had likely witnessed the results of the destruction at the fort- it was sheer luck the raiders hadn’t targeted her family’s small little farm as well. It looked like it had fallen on hard enough times, they didn’t need to lose everything they owned as well.</p><p>“Of course,” Eivor replied. “Have you made cairns before?”</p><p>The girl’s eyes widened. “Cairns?”</p><p>“Yes. It is what we called them in Norway.” Eivor placed the base, keeping her voice gentle. Unbidden, her mother’s words came back to her, and they flowed as easily as the memory. “Consider them a test of mind and wit. Stack the cairn stones high and wide.”</p><p>“How? They keep falling!”</p><p>Eivor smiled reassuringly. “Here, I’ll help you.” Together, they lifted the next rock. Just as her mother had done with her, long ago. “You have to let the air and nature’s beauty guide you. Shape, balance, and expression are key.” </p><p>They placed the last rock, the girl’s eyes wide with awe. “Oh, wow! Thanks for showing me how!”</p><p>It was so close to that happy memory that Eivor’s heart ached. She placed a hand on her shoulder and forced a smile. “Steady your hands and your heart, tiny-giant.”</p><p>The girl nodded and turned to the cairn when Eivor stood to leave. “I’ll be okay on my own, Mama and Papa,” she whispered, and Eivor froze. “I’ll have an army of stone-men to protect me!”</p><p>“You have no parents, child?”</p><p>The question was asked before she could stop herself. The girl was so young, the same age as Eivor herself, when-</p><p>The girl looked up at Eivor, chewing on her bottom lip. “The pict-men took them when the snows melted,” she said, clutching at her dress. “I was supposed to be checking the traps for rabbits, but-” </p><p>“Hush. It is alright.” She looked beyond her at the house, taking in the disarray. “How have you survived this long?”</p><p>The girl brightened slightly. “Mama taught me to cook, and Papa taught me how to tend the garden! I planted everything by myself!” She dimmed again. “But it’s hard to get water from the river. By the time I get back, half the water’s gone!”</p><p>“Where is the rest of your family?” </p><p>The girl shrugged, still playing with her skirt. “Mama said they lived across the ocean, but I don’t know their names. She said they didn’t like Papa very much, so they didn’t talk.”</p><p>Nearby, Synin squawked.</p><p>Eivor looked at her raven, then at the girl. She couldn’t just leave her here. When winter came in just a few months, she wouldn’t survive. Normally there would have already been a stockpile of wood, of food, and new clothes. While England’s winters were warmer than Norway’s, they were far enough north that the cold would be felt. Could the girl even hunt?</p><p>“Child,” she said gently, “you cannot stay here.”</p><p>“Yes, I can!” she said stubbornly. “Papa always told me to look after the house when he was gone. I still can!”</p><p>Eivor sighed, kneeling down to look the girl in the eye. “I have no doubt that you are resourceful, tiny-giant. But the winters are harsh here, even in this land. Do you know how to hunt?” At the girl’s silence, Eivor continued. “The future jarl, Vili, is an old friend of mine. I can ensure someone will look after your house, should you wish to claim it when you come of age. Until then, I can offer you a home, with friends and neighbors to look after you and children your age to play with. If you want.”</p><p>The girl stared at her for a long moment. “Where will I live?” she whispered.</p><p>“I’m sure everyone will be fighting to have such a brave tiny-giant live with them,” Eivor smiled. “But if not, you can stay with me. I have a big bed and a dog who gets lonely when I’m not there.”</p><p>Slowly, the girl’s hands unknotted from her clothing. “Lots of other kids to play with?”</p><p>“You’ll probably get into all sorts of mischief with them,” Eivor replied, solemnly.</p><p>A pause. Then- “Only if I get to pet the dog.”</p><p>“You’ll be her favorite before long,” Eivor replied, standing. Her exhaustion was forgotten in the face of helping another in need. She took the girl’s hand. “What’s your name, tiny-giant?”</p><p>Green eyes glittered up at her with awe and cautious hope. “Ylva.”</p><p>“It’s nice to meet you, Ylva. Let’s go, shall we?”</p><p>----</p><p>Tarben was, unsurprisingly, in the kitchen when Eivor found him. There was a smile on his face as he talked about his trade with the chef, but as soon as he spotted Eivor he hurried to clean his hands and approached, pulling her into a hug. “I heard about what happened,” he said. “How are you holding up?”</p><p>“I need to sleep and get something to eat,” Eivor confessed. “But... “</p><p>“But?”</p><p>Eivor stepped aside, and Tarben focused on Ylva, who was standing in the doorway with an uncertain look. “She has no parents,” she said. “I couldn’t leave her.”</p><p>To her utter relief and joy, Tarben huffed a laugh. “You and your soft heart, Eivor.” There was no malice in the words, and Eivor smiled at him. Only he would claim she was soft- and get away with it.</p><p>“Ylva,” Eivor called, and the girl approached, looking between them. “This is Tarben. He’ll get you something to eat while I find Vili, okay?”</p><p>She nodded, and Tarben gestured at the oven. “Do you know how to make bread, Ylva?”</p><p>“Mama was supposed to teach me next year,” she said quietly. </p><p>“Well there’s no time like the present,” Tarben chuckled. “Here, let’s get you fed, and then I’ll walk you through it. If you eat all your food, I’ll let you pick the extra ingredients.”</p><p>“Can we put nuts in it?”</p><p>“I’ll consider it if you eat your vegetables.”</p><p>Eivor’s heart was light when she left, snagging a few apples for herself on the way out. Ylva would be in good hands until her business here was done, and then she could get the girl settled when they got back home. Although…</p><p>She looked back, watching how Tarben coaxed a laugh out of Ylva as she did, indeed, eat her vegetables. </p><p>Perhaps she had already found a home, after all.</p>
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